16 Cult TV Shows You Can Stream Now

Cult TV is that special genre where the storytelling can get a little weird and the fans get a lot intense. While not every single show that's included in the genre is for everyone, cult shows are unique enough where there is at least one series out there for everyone.

From supernatural teen dramas to quirky comedies, cult TV does it all! With streaming services so easily available, it's simple to get engrossed in a cult show. Here are 16 we can't get enough of (and neither will you!).

1. The X-Files

Fox

It’s been almost 25 years since The X-Files first premiered and the show is gearing up for an eleventh season in early 2018. No matter how much time passes, the series’ formula just works. Its creepy, a little campy and has two of the most iconic characters to grace our screens: skeptical Scully and spooky Mulder. The monster-of-the-week format makes each episode easily digestible and engrossing.

Watch on Hulu.

2. Orphan Black

BBC America

Though the plot is filled with addictive sci-fi mystery, this show is worth a watch for Tatiana Maslany's acting abilities alone. There is rarely a scene without her presence, as it's up to her to portray numerous clones with different backgrounds and personalities. Maslany slips in and out of these characters so easily, there are times you forget you are watching just one actor. In 2016, she was awarded an Emmy for her work on the show.

Watch on Amazon Prime.

3. Family Matters

WENN

Fun fact: Steve Urkel originally was not a main character on the show. He showed up halfway through the first season and audiences loved him so much they kept him around. Urkel's addition added an extra dose of comedy to the show and allowedthe show to explore race-driven episodes in later seasons. Throughout its nine seasons, Family Matters mixed silly with heartwarming, so much so that viewers wanted to be part of the Winslow family.

Watch on Hulu.

4. A Different World

NBC

It didn't take long for this Cosby Show spinoff to become its own, completely separate show. The show followed Denise Huxtable off to college, but its ties to Cosby quickly dissolved when Lisa Bonet left the the show after one season. The show premiered in 1987 and went on to have six seasons that dealt with real-life issues college students start to encounter — like sexual assault, racism, sexism, police brutality, war and more. After 24 years, the show and the topics it covered still hold up, making it a fan favorite.

Watch on Amazon Prime.

5. Twin Peaks

WENN

Like all good cult shows that were canceled before their time, Twin Peaks got a better-late-than-never reemergence in 2017. Streaming services helped reintroduce David Lynch's campy murder-mystery show to new -- and younger -- audiences and lead to a limited-series debut on Showtime in May. Now, people born after the series premiered in 1990 are asking "Who killed Laura Palmer?"

Watch on Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime.

6. The Twilight Zone

CBS

It's been nearly 60 years since The Twilight Zone premiered and it's still able to give us dystopian nightmares. Sci-fi legend Rod Sterling wrote almost all scripts for the series' five seasons. Each episode had a terrifying twist, made even more so freaky by its roots within reality. The best part of the show is that every episode is its own story and can be viewed out of order. Perfect for someone who has a habit of watching a show sporadically.

Watch on Netflix and Hulu.

7. Doctor Who

BBC One

Before the 13th Doctor makes her (yaaassss, her!) debut, catch up on all the previous Doctors. OK, that might take a while, as Doctor Who first debuted in 1963 and has 26 seasons. Regardless, the show has been a sci-fi and cult-TV staple for years, with the Doctor's Tardis going from transportation vehicle to the hottest pop-culture accessory.

Watch on Amazon Prime.

8. Bob Ross: Beauty is Everywhere

Netflix

For many of us, Bob Ross brings memories of sick days at home, stuck watching daytime TV. Between all the soap operas and daytime talk shows was this soft-spoken, soothing man who mesmerized you with his brush strokes. For 30 minutes, all felt OK in the world because Bob Ross took you away to a magical place with just his voice, hair and art supplies. Now you can surround yourself with happy trees once again. Turn on Bob Ross after a stressful day and let him soothe you all over again.

Watch on Netflix.

9. Community

NBC

We got our six seasons, but not a movie. It's okay, though. Community went through more than most shows could handle. After being stripped of its creator and showrunner, canceled and seeing two main stars exit, it still persevered. Fans went nuts over the zany storylines, complete opposite characters, and cast chemistry. Community fought hard to be completely unique and fans noticed.

Watch on Hulu.

10. Pee-wee's Playhouse

WENN

Listen, I know not everyone “gets” Pee-wee Herman, but those who do are treated to a weird, wild TV experience. Remember when Pee-wee married fruit salad? Or when Randy kept pronouncing the P in pterodactyl? Or how about the Christmas special where Grace Jones performed an iconic version of “Little Drummer Boy”? You may leave with more questions than answers, but each episode is its own bizarre, entertaining step away from reality.

Watch on Netflix.

11. Star Trek

WENN

Let’s all stop for a second and agree that Star Trek is cool. Once a punchline, the franchise with staying power has become one of the most-recognized pop culture staples ever. After 50 years and many iterations, the fan base has only gotten stronger, thanks to J.J. Abram’s mass-appeal movie revivals. Go back to the beginning with William Shatner’s James T. Kirk — the start of a cultural phenomenon.

Watch on Hulu.

12. Hannibal

Hannibal Lecter has been one of pop culture's most mysterious and terrifying characters. He first premiered in Thomas Harris' novels and was turned into a cultural phenomenon with Anthony Hopkins' portrayal of Lecter in 1991's The Silence of the Lambs. Lecter has stayed around, most recently, in the NBC series Hannibal. The show, like its source material, is psychologically driven, violent and deeply fascinating.

Watch on Amazon Prime.

13. Riverdale

The CW

If you're not watching Riverdale already, I must ask, what the f are you waiting for? Take the Archie comics universe and make it a little Twin Peaks-y with a splash of Veronica Mars and you get Riverdale. The CW murder-mystery show, which is now in its second season, is so out there, so overly dramatic that you will be hooked within the first 15 minutes. The characters are a mix of charming and genuine, which is a compliment to the cast that brings them to life.

Watch on Netflix.

14. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

The WB

High school is hell. Buffy took it a step further by putting a high school on a literal Hellmouth. If that's not metaphor-y enough for you, oh boy, there are seven seasons full of allegories to sift through as you watch Chosen One Buffy Summers slay vampires and prevent the end of the world over and over.

The show expertly balances humor, suspense, horror, romance and crafty storytelling to create a show that's smart, entertaining and worth a rewatch or two (or seven).

Watch on Hulu.

15. Firefly

FOX

Yes, another Joss Whedon creation on this list. The man knows cult TV, which is proven by his fiercely defended sci-fi/Western mashup, Firefly. The show follows a crew of smuggler misfits, with each character’s personality in stark contrast of the other. Captain Mal is lovable in that hard-to-love kind of way, stoic Zoe and goofball Wash are peak couple goals and engineer Kaylee is an absolute delight. Of course, it was canceled after just one season — but brought back with a feature-length film called Serenity.

Watch on Hulu.

16. Supernatural

The CW

Fans have been following Dean and Sam Winchester's paranormal adventures for 13 seasons and counting. To give you an idea of how long that is, Supernatural premiered on The WB... AKA before it became The CW. Together, the Winchester brothers hunt demons, monsters, gods, and ghosts the same way their father did before them. If you haven't heard of the show or the name "Winchester," you probably haven't been on Tumblr or near a Hot Topic recently.